If doctors suspect a patient has a broken bone, they typically take an X-ray to be sure of the problem. But to treat a mental health issue, doctors typically don’t take a picture of the brain. One doctor is trying to change that with a controversial brain scan. VOA’s Carolyn Presutti explains. …
Hawaii Volcano Gives Experts Clues to Boost Science
Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano may be disrupting life in paradise with its bursts of ash and bright-orange lava, but it also has scientists wide-eyed, eager to advance what’s known about volcanoes. The good news is: Volcanoes reveal secrets when they’re rumbling, which means Kilauea is producing a bonanza of information. While scientists monitored Big Island lava flows in 1955 and 1960, equipment then was far less sophisticated. Given new technology, they can now gather and study an unprecedented volume of data. “Geophysical monitoring techniques that have come online in the last 20 years have now been deployed at Kilauea,” said George Bergantz, professor of earth and space sciences at the University of Washington. “We have this remarkable opportunity … to see many more scales of behavior both preceding and during this current volcanic crisis.” Starting May 3, Kilauea has fountained lava and flung ash and rocks from its summit, destroying hundreds of homes, closing key highways and prompting health warnings. Kilauea is one of five volcanos that form the Big Island, and is a “shield” volcano — built up over time as lava flows layer on top of layer. Technically speaking, it has been continuously erupting since 1983. But the recent combination of earthquakes shaking the ground, steam-driven explosions at the top, and lava creeping into a new area some 12 miles (20 kilometers) from the summit represents a departure from its behavior over the past 35 years, said Erik Klemetti, a volcanologist at Ohio’s Denison University. What’s happening now is …
Шулявський міст у Києві за 600 мільйонів ремонтуватиме фірма помічника депутата Микитася
Переможцем тендеру на проведення реконструкції столичного Шулявського шляхопроводу стала фірма ТОВ «Північноукраїнський будівельний альянс», яка належить помічнику народного депутата Максима Микитася. Про це повідомляє програма «Схеми», спільний проект Радіо Свобода та телеканалу «UA:Перший». Тендер на «реконструкцію транспортної розв’язки на перетині проспекту Перемоги з вул. Гетьмана» провело комунальне підприємство «Дирекція будівництва шляхово-транспортних споруд м. Києва», переможець був оголошений 7 червня. Серед чотирьох учасників, які подали заявки, до аукціону були допущені дві компанії. Пропозиції ТОВ «Мостобудівельне Підприємство «Мостострой» тендерний комітет відхилив через невідповідність документації тендерним вимогам. ТОВ «АЛЬТІС СПЕЦБУД» також не була допущена до аукціону нібито через відсутність у працівників потрібної кваліфікації та їхню недостатню кількість. До аукціону було допущено дві фірми ТОВ «СПЕЦБУД-ПЛЮС» та ТОВ «Північноукраїнський будівельний альянс». Переможець тендеру – «Північноукраїнський будівельний альянс» – отримає майже 600 мільйонів гривень на реконструкцію розв’язки навколо Шулявського мосту. Як з’ясували «Схеми», ця фірма існує з 2007 року. Єдиним власником компанії зі статутним фондом у 46 000 гривень є Андрій Якусевич. Згідно із даними офіційного порталу Верховної Ради, Андрій Якусевич є помічником-консультантом на громадських засадах народного депутата Максима Микитася. Максим Микитась – народний депутат і відомий столичний забудовник. Він є екс-керівником державної корпорації «Укрбуд». Найскандальніший проект «Укрбуду» – житловий комплекс «Сонячна Рів’єра» на лівобережжі Києва. У 2015 році на будмайданчику тривали серйозні сутички зі стріляниною, адже будівництво розгорнулося у межах водозахисної смуги і рекреаційної зони, хоча за генпланом тут мав бути парк. Проти «Рів’єри» виступили і представники Української греко-католицької церкви, бо на стінах їхнього храму, розташованого неподалік від будівництва, почали з’являтися тріщини. Заступники міського …
Виконувати обов’язки міністра фінансів замість Данилюка буде Оксана Маркарова – рішення уряду
Виконання обов’язків міністра фінансів уряд покладає на його першого заступника Оксану Маркарову. Відповідне рішення Кабмін ухвалив на позачерговому засіданні, мовиться на урядовому сайті. Згідно з цим рішенням, Маркарова починає роботу у новому статусі з 8 червня. 7 червня Верховна Рада України підтримала подання прем’єр-міністра Володимира Гройсмана про звільнення міністра фінансів Олександр Данилюка. Рішення підтримали 254 народних депутатів за необхідних 226. Гройсман звернувся до Верховної Ради з поданням на звільнення Олександра Данилюка з посади міністра 6 червня через «поширення ним викривленої інформації» серед міжнародних партнерів напередодні перемовин між Україною та ЄС, що, на думку глави уряду, могло поставити під загрозу їхні результати. Міністр фінансів України Олександр Данилюк заявив про «колосальний тиск», який чиниться на нього протягом року. Як повідомляли ЗМІ, на засіданні уряду 23 травня між прем’єром і міністром фінансів виникла суперечка. Причиною стало те, що Данилюк намагався домогтися призначення своєї радниці Яни Бугримової заступником міністра. Гройсман відмовив. Згодом з’явилася інформація про те, що голова Мінфіну надіслав листа послам країн «Групи семи», в якому поінформував про свій конфлікт із прем’єром. …
Частка приватного виробництва у військовій промисловості України вперше перевищила 50% – Турчинов
Секретар РНБО Олександр Турчинов анонсував продовження курсу на дерегуляцію військової промисловості. За його даними, частка приватного виробництва у цій галузі вперше перевищила 50%. Більше того, Україна відмовилася від військової кооперації з Росією, та створила власні замкнені цикли виробництва зброї, зокрема – зброї стримування, «яку тут не треба перераховувати», уточнив секретар РНБО. Водночас, він закликав західних партнерів не лише постачати Україні зброю, а й кооперуватися у сфері військових технологій та спільного виробництва, що, на його думку, є не менш важливим. Станом на початок року в Україні працювали 166 державних оборонних підприємств. 133 з них входять в концерн «Укроборонпрому». …
Росія зосередила проти України кілька армій та ракетні комплекси – Турчинов
Для України питання національної безпеки «починається на східному фронті», заявив секретар РНБО Олександр Турчинов, відкриваючи дев’ятий Національний експертний форум. «П’ятий рік точиться війна Росії проти України, і ніяких ознак нормалізації ситуації ми не маємо… Два корпуси, які входять до складу восьмої російської армії, фактично виконують функцію, яку виконували штрафбати під час Другої світової війни. Їхнє завдання – затримати просування наших військ до підходу основних сил. Але де вони дислокуються? Побудована найпотужніша військова інфраструктура вздовж нашого кордону. Росія проти нас оперує не батальйонами чи дивізіями, а арміями», – визнав Турчинов. Серед загроз з моря секретар РНБО називає частину Каспійського флоту Росії, перекинуту до Чорноморського басейну. А також він говорить про російські ракетні комплекси у Криму і на східних кордонах, за його словами, здатні завдати удар «фактично по всій території України». У цих умовах, визнає Турчинов, Україна може покладатися лише на себе, як це було і в 2014 році. «У цій війні Росія, на жаль, має союзників, яких ми вважаємо нашими стратегічними партнерами. Одним із найнебезпечніших для нас є так званий проект «Північний потік-2», це є реальний виклик для нас, і випробування для нашого партнерства із західними колегами, тому що втрати, яких зазнаємо ми, на порядок більші, ніж ті кредити, які нам сьогодні пропонують». Збройний конфлікт на Донбасі триває від 2014 року після російської анексії Криму. Україна і Захід звинувачують Росію у збройній підтримці сепаратистів. Кремль відкидає ці звинувачення і заявляє, що на Донбасі можуть перебувати лише російські «добровольці». За даними ООН, за час конфлікту загинули понад 10 тисяч людей. …
Trump’s Solar Tariff Costs US Companies Billions
President Donald Trump’s tariff on imported solar panels has led U.S. renewable energy companies to cancel or freeze investments of more than $2.5 billion in large installation projects, along with thousands of jobs, the developers told Reuters. That’s more than double the about $1 billion in new spending plans announced by firms building or expanding U.S. solar panel factories to take advantage of the tax on imports. The tariff’s bifurcated impact on the solar industry underscores how protectionist trade measures almost invariably hurt one or more domestic industries for every one they shield from foreign competition. Trump announced the tariff in January over protests from most of the solar industry that the move would chill one of America’s fastest-growing sectors. Utility-scale projects Solar developers completed utility-scale installations costing a total of $6.8 billion last year, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. Those investments were driven by U.S. tax incentives and the falling costs of imported panels, mostly from China, which together made solar power competitive with natural gas and coal. The U.S. solar industry employs more than 250,000 people, about three times more than the coal industry, with about 40 percent of those people in installation and 20 percent in manufacturing, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. “Solar was really on the cusp of being able to completely take off,” said Zoe Hanes, chief executive of Charlotte, North Carolina solar developer Pine Gate Renewables. Companies with domestic panel factories are divided on the policy. Solar giant SunPower Corp …
Blockchain Advances Could Revolutionize Daily Life
As the internet continues to revolutionize communications, the next world-changing technology may already be here. Blockchain, a way of recording data and automatically storing it on computers around the world, has the potential to change everything from collecting crime scene evidence to creating new digital currencies. VOA’s Jill Craig visited a blockchain hackathon in Memphis, Tennessee, to learn more. …
NASA Chief: US Will Always Have Astronauts in Orbit
Major changes could be ahead for the International Space Station but there will always be an American astronaut in orbit, NASA’s new boss said Wednesday. The space agency is talking with private companies about potentially taking over the space lab after 2025, but no decision will made without the other 21 countries that are partners in the project, NASA Administrator James Bridenstine said in his first briefing with reporters. President Donald Trump’s recent budget requests have put discussions about the station’s future “on steroids,” he said. Under Trump’s 2019 proposed budget, U.S. funding for the space station would end by 2025. The U.S. has spent more than $75 billion on the space station. Options include splitting the station into different segments or reducing its size by breaking it up and discarding one part. Always a US astronaut in orbit But no matter what happens, there won’t be any gap when Americans aren’t in space, Bridenstine vowed. It won’t be as it was after the Apollo moon program closed or even the retirement of the space shuttle fleet, which has forced NASA to pay Russia to ferry astronauts to the station. “There are kids graduating from high school this month, that their entire lives, we’ve had an astronaut in space,” Bridenstine said. “And we want that to live on in perpetuity forever. No gaps.” Companies are interested in running the station and “there’s a range of options” that are just now being examined, he said. The first station piece was launched …
Emirates Seeks to Lead the Way to Windowless Planes
Passenger jets of the future will be safer, lighter, faster, more fuel-efficient and … windowless. So predicts Emirates Airlines chief Tim Clark. The Dubai-based airline has already introduced virtual windows in the first-class suites of its newest planes. Instead of being able to see out a conventional window, the passengers will be able to enjoy the view on a full display of windows that will project live camera feeds on a high-definition screen. Clark said the images are “so good, it’s better than with the natural eye.” Clark told the BBC that the ultimate goal was to have a completely windowless plane. “Now you have a fuselage which has no structural weaknesses because of windows. The aircraft are lighter, the aircraft could fly faster, they’ll burn less fuel and fly higher,” he said. But Emirates’ experiment has raised concerns that might not win it the votes of safety regulators. Some passengers have expressed concerns of possibly feeling claustrophobic on windowless planes. …
Trump ‘Will Be Sticking to His Guns’ at G-7 Summit, Adviser Says
U.S. President Donald Trump “will be sticking to his guns” at the upcoming Group of Seven summit despite criticism of his trade policies from allies, one of his key economic advisers told reporters Wednesday. “The president is at ease with all these tough issues,” said Larry Kudlow, director of the National Economic Council. “There’s always tension about something” between the United States and other G-7 members. The comments in the White House press briefing room came shortly after both Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who is hosting the G-7 summit in Quebec’s Charlevoix region, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel forecast difficult discussions on Friday and Saturday. Jacob Funk Kirkegaard, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, said, “This is essentially a recipe for a G-6 plus one.” Protecting American workers Kudlow, in his remarks, denied the United States was engaged in a trade war with its strategic partners, as well as China, but said that the United States would do what was necessary to protect American workers and industries. Speaking to reporters in Brussels on Wednesday, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said it was too early to call the tariffs dispute a trade war and contended the United States was justified in demanding “fair and reciprocal” trade with its partners. Mattis said economic disputes with allies were not expected to damage military and security relations. Kudlow said that “the world trading system is a mess. It’s broken down.” But, he added, “Don’t blame Trump. Blame the nations …
НАБУ оприлюднило список учасників Ради громадського контролю
Національне антикорупційне бюро оприлюднило повний список людей, яких обрали на інтернет-голосуванні до нового складу Ради громадського контролю за діяльністю відомства. За даними, опублікованими на сайті НАБУ, цього разу до ради увійшли кандидати від восьми громадських об’єднань: «Transparency international Україна», «Демократична сокира орди», «Громадський люстраційний комітет», «Асоціація правників України», «Січ-С14», «Автомайдан», «Платформа Громадський контроль», «Антикорупційний штаб». Четверо з 15 обраних кандидатів були членами попереднього скликання ради: Віталій Устименко, Галина Янченко, Катерина Риженко, Артем Романюков. Читайте також:«Я – поміркований «порохобот» – інтерв’ю із новим членом громадської ради НАБУ Відповідно до умов проведення конкурсу за кандидатів до нового складу РГК при підрахунку його результатів зараховувалися голоси, зареєстровані системою голосування в період з 09:00 до 21:00. Згідно з протоколами голосування, розміщеними на офіційному веб-сайті НАБУ, в період з 09:00 до 21:00 було зареєстровано голоси 19 298 осіб. НАБУ використало програмне забезпечення з відкритим кодом, що дозволило користувачам слідкувати за процесом голосування в режимі реального часу. …
India’s Central Bank Raises Key Lending Rate to 6.25 Percent
India’s central bank raised its benchmark lending rate Wednesday to tamp down rising inflation following an increase in oil prices. The increase of one-quarter percentage point to 6.25 percent is the first since January 2014 and comes at a time when consumer inflation is at a four-year high. The Reserve Bank of India said it expects inflation of 4.8 to 4.9 percent in the first half of the 2018-19 financial year, which started April 1. More rate hikes are likely in coming months, said Shilan Shah of Capital Economics in a report. The bank said crude oil prices have been volatile, causing uncertainty to the inflation outlook. There was a 12 percent increase in the price of Indian crude basket, which was sharper than expected. The bank forecast GDP growth for the 2018-19 financial year at 7.4 percent, up from the previous year’s 6.7 percent. That increase has been underpinned by improved rural demand on the back of a bumper harvest and the government’s emphasis on rural housing and infrastructure. The bank said the forecast of a normal June-September monsoon is a good sign for agricultural. …
France, Germany, UK Seek Exemption From US Iran Sanctions
Britain, France and Germany have joined forces to urge the United States to exempt European companies from any sanctions the U.S. will slap on Iran after pulling out of an international nuclear agreement. In a letter made public Wednesday, ministers from the three European countries told U.S. officials they “strongly regret” President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the 2015 Iran deal to which their nations also were signatories. The agreement was meant to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. Trump argued that it was insufficiently tough and has said sanctions will be imposed on any company doing business with Tehran. The ministers — British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire and German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz — said they want the U.S. to “grant exemptions” for European Union companies that have been doing business with Iran since the nuclear deal took effect in 2016. “As close allies, we expect that the extraterritorial effects of U.S. secondary sanctions will not be enforced on EU entities and individuals, and the United States will thus respect our political decision and the good faith of economic operators within EU legal territory,” they said in their letter to In a letter dated Monday to U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo dated Monday. They also said that Iran should not be cut out of the SWIFT system for international money transfers. Many companies …
N. Korea Denuclearization Could Cost $20 Billion
Arms control experts estimate that the dismantlement of North Korea’s nuclear program could take a decade to complete, and cost $20 billion, if a nuclear agreement is reached between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un when they meet in Singapore on June 12. “The hard work has not yet begun, and it is gong to take sustained energy on the part of the United States, South Korea, Japan, China and North Korea. It’s going to be a multiyear long process,” said Daryl Kimball, the executive director of the Arms Control Association in Washington. President Trump has said he expects a “very positive result” from the North Korea nuclear summit, but he also said it will likely be the beginning of a process to resolve differences over the extent of the North’s denuclearization, and the specifics regarding what sanctions relief, economic aid and security guarantees would be offered in return. U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Sunday that North Korea would only receive sanctions relief after it takes “verifiable and irreversible steps to denuclearization.” This position aligns closer to the Kim government’s stance that denuclearization measures and concessions be matched action for action. And it backs away from demands made by some in the president’s national security team that Pyongyang quickly and unilaterally dismantle all its weapons of mass destruction before any concessions would be offered. Nuclear costs North Korea is estimated to have 20 to 80 nuclear warheads, both known and covert nuclear research …
UN Issues Urgent Call for Curbs on Use of Plastic
Marking World Environment Day, the United Nations on Tuesday named plastic one of the biggest environmental threats facing the world. The report, Single-Use Plastics: A Roadmap for Sustainability, said while government regulation on the use of plastic has made some impact on reducing waste, it is not enough, and more urgent action is needed. “Our world is swamped by harmful plastic waste,” U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a speech. “Microplastics in the seas now outnumber stars in our galaxy.” “From remote islands to the Arctic, nowhere is untouched. If present trends continue, by 2050 our oceans will have more plastic than fish,” he said. The report noted that by some estimates, as many as 5 trillion plastic bags are used worldwide every year. While acknowledging that combating plastic waste is different for every country, the U.N. report suggested 10 universal steps that policymakers can follow, including use of more eco-friendly alternatives to plastics and the promotion of reusable products. According to the Ocean Conservancy, 8 million metric tons of plastic enters the Earth’s oceans every year, which adds to the estimated 150 million metric tons already in the marine environment. A 2017 report by the Ocean Conservancy said China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam are dumping more plastic than the rest of the world combined. But the advocacy group warned that the problem is not Asia’s alone. It noted the United States tosses out more than 33 million tons of plastic, of which less than 10 percent is recycled. …
Aiming at Trump Strongholds, Mexico Hits Back With Trade Tariffs
Mexico put tariffs on American products ranging from steel to pork and bourbon on Tuesday, retaliating against import duties on metals imposed by President Donald Trump and taking aim at Republican strongholds ahead of U.S. congressional elections in November. Mexico’s response further raises trade tensions between the two countries and adds a new complication to efforts to renegotiate the NAFTA trade deal between Canada, the United States and Mexico. American pork producers, for whom Mexico is the largest export market, were dismayed by the move. Trump last week rattled some of the closest U.S. allies by removing an exemption to tariffs on imported steel and aluminum that his administration had granted to Mexico, Canada and the European Union. Meanwhile, Trump economic advisor Larry Kudlow revived the possibility on Tuesday that the president will seek to replace the trillion dollar North American Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with bilateral deals with Canada and Mexico, something both countries say they oppose. Following news of the new Mexican tariffs, which take effect immediately, the peso tumbled to its weakest level since February 2017, making it one of the worst performers among major currencies. Mexico’s retaliatory list, published in the government’s official gazette, included a 20 percent tariff on U.S. pork legs and shoulders, apples and potatoes and 20 to 25 percent duties on types of cheeses and bourbon. A net importer of U.S. steel, Mexico is also putting 25 percent duties on a range of U.S. steel products. Mexico’s trade negotiators designed the list, in …
WHO: No Confirmed New Ebola Cases in DRC Since Mid-May
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports no new cases of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been confirmed since May 17. WHO finds of 56 reported cases, 37 are confirmed, 13 are probable and six are suspected. The death toll stands at 25. The U.N. agency said not too much should be read into the fact that the number of confirmed Ebola cases has remained stable since mid-May. It said these numbers should be viewed with some caution. WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic said it is critical that all people who have had contact with an infected person are identified. He said even one person with Ebola could create a number of new cases by coming in contact with people at social events or religious ceremonies such as funerals. Jasarevic told VOA it is premature to let down one’s guard. He says health care workers, responders and communities must remain vigilant. “The Ebola outbreak in DR Congo is not over and we need to continue to work,” he added. “… There are lots of areas that are difficult to reach that we have to go to, that we need to make sure that we get to all the contacts. So, there still are contacts that have not been reached. So, it is really too early to say that the outbreak is contained.” Jasarevic said good progress is being made in vaccinating people who have come in contact with infected individuals. He said a vaccination campaign in Mbandaka, a city …
Trump Wants Separate Trade Talks With Canada, Mexico
U.S. President Donald Trump is “seriously contemplating” trying to reach separate trade deals with Canada and Mexico instead of reshaping the more than two-decade-old North American Free Trade Agreement with both neighbors, a White House economic adviser said Tuesday. Trump economic adviser Larry Kudlow told Fox News, “He prefers bilateral negotiations, and he is looking at two much different countries.” The U.S., Canada and Mexico have for months engaged in talks to revise NAFTA, which has been in force since 1994. But Kudlow said separate deals “might be able to happen more rapidly.” However, Kudlow said Trump does not plan to withdraw from the three-nation agreement. “He is seriously contemplating a shift in the NAFTA negotiations … [and] he asked me to convey this,” Kudlow said. The adviser said Trump “believed bilateral is always better. He hates large treaties.” Trump has long assailed multinational trade deals and within days of assuming power last year, withdrew the U.S. from the Trans-Pacific Partnership with 11 other Pacific rim nations. On Monday, he said on Twitter, “The U.S. has made such bad trade deals over so many years that we can only WIN!” He declared, “China already charges a tax of 16% on soybeans. Canada has all sorts of trade barriers on our Agricultural products. Not acceptable!” Trump contended, “Farmers have not been doing well for 15 years. Mexico, Canada, China and others have treated them unfairly. By the time I finish trade talks, that will change. Big trade barriers against U.S. farmers, …
New Pill Could Radio Doctors About Gut Health
A pill could soon radio signals from inside your gut to help doctors diagnose diseases from ulcers to cancer to inflammation, according to a new study. Scientists have developed a small, swallowable capsule that mixes synthetic biology and electronics to detect bleeding in the digestive tract. The system can be adapted for a wide range of medical, environmental and other uses, the researchers say. The biological part of the pill uses bacteria engineered to glow when exposed to heme, the iron-containing molecule in blood. The electronic side includes a tiny light detector, computer, chip, battery, and a transmitter that sends data to a cell phone or computer. “A major challenge for sensing in the GI tract is, the space available for a device is very limited,” said Massachusetts Institute of Technology electrical engineer Phillip Nadeau. Using very low-power electronics they designed, Nadeau and colleagues fit all the components into a capsule about 3 centimeters long by 1 centimeter wide. It’s still a bit big to swallow. But Nadeau says with engineering work it can likely be made about a third that size. The engineered bacteria are contained in chambers covered by a membrane that lets small molecules in but does not let the organisms out. The researchers say the bacteria can be engineered to die if they accidentally leak from the capsule. Or future models may just use the key enzymes, rather than whole bacteria. In laboratory tests, the pill successfully distinguished pigs fed small amounts of blood from those …
Україна на 39-му місці за технологічним розвитком – The Economist
Україна опуститься на 39-е місце в рейтингу Technological Readiness («технологічна готовність») у період з 2018 по 2022 рік. Зараз, за оцінками авторів рейтингу, вона на 38-му місці. Рейтинг укладають аналітики компанії The Economist Group, сестринської компанії журналу The Economist. Він охоплює 82 найбільші економіки світу, показники яких дозволяють дослідникам спрогнозувати подальший їхній розвиток. Прогноз покликаний передбачити, наскільки країни пристосовані до стрімкого розвитку технологій. Він спирається на три ключові показники: доступ до інтернету та мобільного зв’язку, економічна інфраструктура (електронна комерція, електронне врядування та кібер-безпека) та рівень інновацій. Цей останній критерій вимірюється видатками на дослідження, наявністю відповідної інфраструктури і кількістю патентів. Автори дослідження посилаються на дані ООН від 2015 року, за якими Україна входить до чільних 10 країн, що розвиваються, за рівнем електронної комерції. За прогнозами The Economist Group, з 2018 по 2022 роки рейтинг будуть очолювати Австралія, Сінгапур і Швеція. Останні місця посідають Нігерія, Лівія та Ангола. …
Swimmer Attempts 5.5K Swim Across Pacific to Study Plastic Pollution
Five and a half thousand kilometers of open water lie before Ben Lecomte as he attempts to swim across the entire Pacific Ocean. The journey of endurance for science begins June 5. VOA’s Steve Baragona has more. …
Pentagon Watchdog Opens Probe of White House Physician Ronny Jackson
The U.S. Defense Department’s inspector general has opened an investigation into misconduct allegations against White House physician Ronny Jackson, the inspector general’s office said in a statement on Monday. President Donald Trump nominated Jackson to be veterans affairs secretary in March, but Jackson withdrew from consideration a month later amid allegations he had overseen a hostile work environment as White House physician, drank on the job and allowed the overprescribing of drugs. Jackson, a U.S. Navy rear admiral, has denied the allegations. “The DoD Office of Inspector General has initiated an investigation into allegations related to Rear Admiral (Lower Half) Ronny L. Jackson,” Bruce Anderson, spokesman for the inspector general’s office, said in a statement. Democrats on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee have said more than 20 current and former colleagues had come forward to accuse Jackson of prescribing himself medications, getting drunk at a Secret Service party and wrecking a government vehicle. Jackson has worked as a presidential physician since 2006. After withdrawing his nomination for the VA post, Jackson stopped serving as Trump’s lead physician. …
Starbucks Executive Chairman Howard Schultz Steps Down
Starbucks Corp, the world’s biggest coffee chain, said on Monday Executive Chairman Howard Schultz is stepping down, effective June 26. Schultz, who has been with Starbucks for nearly four decades, is credited with turning the company into a popular household name and growing it from 11 stores to more than 28,000 in 77 countries. Last year, Schultz stepped down as chief executive officer to become executive chairman, handing the top job to Kevin Johnson. Most recently, he was involved in steering the company through an anti-bias training program that was kickstarted after a Philadelphia cafe manager’s call to police resulted in the arrests of two black men who were waiting for a friend. Starbucks’ board named Myron Ullman, who was previously chairman and CEO of struggling retailer J.C. Penney Co, as its new chair and Mellody Hobson vice chair effective upon Schultz’s retirement. Schultz will also resign from Starbucks’ board and will be named chairman emeritus, the company said in a statement. …